sports AUDUBON -- Brandon Kupfer pitched a one-hit shutout and jacked a two-run homer to bring in the game-winner in a 5-0 victory over Lake Park-Audubon for the undefeated New York Mills Legion Post 116 baseball team.
LPA sent their ace to the hill in Mason Swegarden and both pitchers battled to a scoreless...
Perham, 56573

Perham Minnesota 222 2nd Avenue SE 56573

2013-03-04 19:38:14

AUDUBON -- Brandon Kupfer pitched a one-hit shutout and jacked a two-run homer to bring in the game-winner in a 5-0 victory over Lake Park-Audubon for the undefeated New York Mills Legion Post 116 baseball team.

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LPA sent their ace to the hill in Mason Swegarden and both pitchers battled to a scoreless tie until the sixth inning when they faced each other in the top half.

Maison Roberts singled to lead off the inning and Kupfer belted the first pitch he saw over the left-centerfield fence dropping just behind the Lake Park-Audubon Boosters banner for an early 2-0 lead.

Roberts' touch of home plate was the game-winner as Kupfer held up his end on the mound.

Kupfer's only hit allowed was a double to Wes Jaster in the fourth inning; Kupfer walked two and struck out eight in a game he controlled from the first pitch.

New York Mills tacked on a pair of unearned runs later in the sixth when Tyler Patron was beaned. He stole second base and advanced to third on an error charged to LPA shortstop Riley Soberg.

Soberg committed his second error of the inning on a ground ball hit by Adam Patron to score twin brother Tyler from third base.

It was the second game in as many days an opposing middle infielder has booted the ball twice in the same frame to allow two Eagle runs to cross the plate.

Nick Kupfer moved Adam Patron to third with a double and Adam Snelgrove brought Adam Patron home on an infield single to Soberg at short for the 4-0 lead completing a frustrating inning for the Raiders' shortstop.

Roberts scored his second run of the game in the seventh inning for some insurance after smoking a double to the left-center fence.

Tyler Patron doubled to trade places with Roberts and bump the lead to 5-0.

Kupfer pitched four complete innings before pitching a third ball in any count.

Swegarden allowed four hits in the first five shutout innings.

Jaster's double was the only time in the game an LPA hitter touched second base.

LPA hitters were a combined 1-22 at the plate against Kupfer.

Post 116 had a runner on base in every inning but the fourth.

New York Mills got to Swegarden the third time through the order blowing up the sixth inning with four runs and four hits, adding a run and two more hits in the seventh.

Swegarden's numbers for the game were seven innings pitched, 10 hits allowed, five runs, three earned; he walked one and fanned seven taking the loss.

Kupfer has been nearly untouchable in every game he has pitched since April.

Roberts led all hitters going 3-4 with two singles and a double.

Kupfer was 1-3, a two-run homer, two RBI.

Tyler Patron was 1-3 with a double and one RBI.

Snelgrove was 1-3, a single, and one RBI.

Spencer Imsande hit safely in three attempts, two singles, in a productive performance in the nine-spot of the Eagles' lineup.

Nick Kupfer doubled in his only plate appearance to go 1-1 in the game.

Dan Kraft was 1-4 with a base hit.

The victory improves New York Mills' record to 5-0.

Aside from additions Imsande and Derik Gaudette, the team is comprised of nearly the same lineup as the state tournament consolation champion team, who went 25-1, giving this group of Eagles a remarkable record of 30-1 in their last 31 games.